Governing the City State - Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ...

This approach is sound and reflects a sensible focusing of effort on where the ACTGovernment can make the most difference. To ensure coherence and integration in theplanning of festivals and events, in which the arts play a central role in many cases, there ismuch to be gained through continuing collocation of artsACT with the Special Events unit.The Arts Report also argues the Cultural Council should relinquish its role in fundingdecisions, anddevelop into a Ministerial Arts Advisory Council which would principally provideadvice directly to the Minister for the Arts on both specific issues raised by theMinister as well as their own ideas and initiatives, based on a closer connection withthe ACT arts sector. 186Future reconsideration of Ministerial advisory structures relating to the Arts should haveregard to comments made at Chapter 3 about boards and committees.An issue not addressed in the Arts Review, but of importance to the broader alignment ofroles and responsibilities relates to maintenance of Government owned arts facilities.Currently, while most government property is managed by LAPS, artsACT is responsible forthe physical maintenance of arts facilities like Gorman House. This responsibility might bebetter placed with the ACT Property Group.The Review notes the Arts Review makes recommendations about the future role andresponsibilities of the Cultural Facilities Corporation. Given the scope of other structuralchanges being recommended, the Review suggests there is no urgency to change the broadgovernance and operational arrangements of the Cultural Facilities Corporation at this time.Indeed, to change the existing arrangements would prove counterproductive and causerepercussive effects.Canberra ConnectCanberra Connect commenced operation in 2001 as the Government’s shared service facilityto enable the community to make bill payments to government and to collect revenue onbehalf of agencies. Since its inception, its role has evolved to become the primary facility toprovide information to the community on behalf of Government agencies, as well as a keysupport for emergency coordination. Canberra Connect’s current placement within TAMSreflects that its funding model is primarily founded on transport service interactions, withabout 80% of current business being transport related.Canberra Connect will be a central plank of the unified public identity of the ACTPS. Givenits role as a primary communications tool with the community, it should be located with thearea responsible for whole of government communications. Removing it from TAMS isconsistent with focusing that Directorate on the delivery of municipal services, and will186 Loxton, P. & Loxton, T. (2010b) p.9.Administrative Arrangements Changes: 126